Baby bottle nipple punch



Dec. 12, 1.950 P. N. SLICK BABY BOT'I'LE NIPPLE PUNCH Filed Oct. 29, 1949 FIG. 2

INVENTOE POLL Y NIXON Sl/CK Q5 FIG. ,5

JJM zjaa Patented Dec. 12, 1950 BABY BOTTLE NIPPLE PUNCH Polly Nixon Slick, San Antonio, Tex assignor to Institute of Inventive Research, San Antonio, Tom, a foundation of Texas Application October 29, 1949, Serial No. 124,351

Claims.

The present invention concerns a punch device which can be used either by a manufacturer of baby bottle nipples to produce the openings of required size and arrangement, or by a mother or nurse, in which case the nipples are purchased without any openings, i. e., unperforated.

The greatest difficulty for the amateur parent lies in making the right size holes in the nipples. If the hole is too small, the baby will work and work and get nothing for his pains. He may get tired'before he gets enough milk; if too large, the milk will come too fast and make him choke or have indigestion and he will get all his milk before he has sucked as long as he wants to. Getting the hole just right, therefore, is a matter of considerable importance. The milk should come out in large drops, one at a time, not run out in a stream. The usual procedure for an inexperienced mother or nurse in enlarging the hole or holes in a nipple is to insert the blunt end of a fine-pointed needle into a cork. The point of the needle is heated to a white heat. The eraser end of a pencil is usually inserted into the nipple to hold it out, then a hole is quickly burned with the needle point. The longer the hot needle is held against the nipple, the larger the hole will be. The hole is therefore enlarged gradually, trying the nipple each time until the hole is just large enough and not too large.

Obviously, a method of this sort is inefficient, a hit-and-miss affair, and as likely as not causes the spoilage of one or more nipples and there is considerable doubt if a nipple is ever obtained in this manner having exactly the right size hole and satisfactory arrangement of the openings. The same difficulties again arise when additional enlargements have to be made to accommodate the periodic modifications of the baby-feeding formula.

The present invention is intended to remove all guess-work from the procuration of these holes so that the latter can be punched in a nonperforated nipple to any desired shape, size and arrangement, and the holes can be enlarged in any predetermined and duplicatable manner.

In my application Serial No. 127,627 filed November 16, 1949, there is disclosed a baby bottle:

nipple in which the openings are of a clean-cut character and of strictly predetermined size and arrangement so that the nipple can be reproduced in quantity production with exact conformity to the shape, size and arrangement of the openings. Thus, these nipples can carry identifying insignia or be given arbitrary type, size and color or letters to indicate the size of the opening and the arrangement. 7

(Cl. 164-l19) The primary object of the invention is to pro vide an improved punch, usable for making the openings of any predetermined size and arrangement in a baby bottle nipple, or a single opening in an unperforated nipple of unpredetermined shape and size.

Another object is to provide a punch mecha{ nism for increasing the size of the hole or holes in a perforated baby bottle nipple to accord with changes in the baby-feeding formula or in the rate of feeding. I

Still another object is to provide a mechanism for perforating the ends of baby bottle nipples in a clean-cut, highly reproducible manner and without ragged or rough edges at the openings.

A further object is to provide an improved punching device for perforating baby bottle nip ples and in which the openings are. individually formed while the punch is moved relatively to the nipple to successive predetermined posi-. tions.

Another object is to provide an improved punching device for perforating the ends of baby bottle nipples and which can be manually operated with accurate reproducibility and duplica tion of the perforations as between the openings of each nipple, and as between the arrangement of openings between a plurality of nipples. I

Other objects and features will be apparent as the specification is perused in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a side view of the improved nipple punch;

Figure 2 is an elevational front view of the, same punch;

Figure 3 represents a plan view of the punch;'

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view,o f the punching device, the main portions being shown in section. The section is enlarged and is taken at the line l 4 in Figure 1; and I I Figure 5 is a view taken atthe line 5 5 in Figure 4, looking down the direction of the ari rows but leavin ofi the lower base element.

In the drawings the dot-dash lines 1 (Fig. 1)

represents the outline of a baby bottle nipple in which it is desired to produce fluid'fiow openings at the end of exact and reproducible .area,. shape and arrangement of openings. The nipple i may be constituted of natural or synthetic rub-1f her and is fitted tightly over a formed support} (Fig. 4) which may be made of metal or plastic.

This support surrounds, in a fairly snug manner, a metal rod or upright 3. This rod has secured thereto a knurled wheel 4, the arrangement being such that when the nipple l is snugly fitted over the support 2 the lower or flangedportion of the nipple rests on the upper surface of the wheel. The rod is journaled at the lower end in a round plate 5 which sits on a ledge 6 within the hub l of a cylindrical base member 8. Thusthe wheel 4 is adapted to be rotated on the bearings provided between the rod 3 and the plate 5, carrying with it the support .2 and the nipple l The upper end of the rod 3 is provided with a number of countersunk openings 9 of a predetermined size, as will be explained hereinafter, these openings conforming to the desired arrangement of openings in the endof the nipple. Directly above the rod or die 3 there is a tapered punch Ill constituted of a rod and tapered to a point as indicated at H. The position of the punch I0 is determined by the position of the openings 9, these openings being brought .successively in register with the position of the tapered point. .l.,l. so that when ,pressure is exercised on the punch .llJj, this poiint pierces the end of .therubber nipple ,l and the point descends until it contacts with the. upper periphery of eaclioi thesuccessively presented openings .9.

The nipple l is rotatively indexed by means of a click mechanism. This mechanism. .may comprise anannular groove L3 in the rod 3 at a position approximately midway of the thickness of the-plated. ,Atthe bottomof the groove there is a plurality of equidistantly spacedhemisphericalrecesses. ii, the number and position of these recessed being determined by the number and arrangementof'the-openingsfi inthe rod- Apin I4 is continuously urged. into these recesses .12 bya spring held in position by means of a set screw t6 passing transversely through the plate 5.. .Thus, as the knurled wheel 4 is rotated, the rod. 3 will index through successive positions determined by the radial movement of the pin l4 passing in and out of the successively presentedrecesses l3. .Eachtimea recess is presented to thepin, thelatter temporarily holds therod .3 in thatpositionand the openings 9 areso correlated with. the position. of the recesses that each opening is presented directly below the punch iii.

For. manipulating. the punch, an suitable form of support can be employed and a handoperated knob provided at the upper end .of the punch. However, in order to effect greater appeal, this support may take the form of fancifulbirds .or animals, a stork 111 being indicated as typical. The punch l9 passes through a ver--- tical opening in the headof the support and term'inates in a knob l8. This knob is positioned atasufiicient distance from the upper flat surface is of the support as to permit the pointed end H to be able to contact the upper edges of the recesses 9 in, order to limit the downward movement of the punch and therefore precisely to-determine the sizeof each opening formed in the nipple. When this registering contact is made between the punch and the opening 9, the angular position .of the rod .3 as a result of the indexing movement, .is automatically kept positional. register with the punch. since each openingislinedup with the tapered point. during .the successive piercing operations. However, it will .be understood that,,;if desired, the limit .of. trayelaof .the punch =l-iican b d terminedsolely by having the lower surface of the knob 18 contact. the upper surface 49 of the support member... While I have shown and described. the punch aslbein constituted of a. metal rod with. a tapered :point, it may be desirable to form the the rod 3 on which it is held solely by a snug fit,

or else if desired, the nipple itself can be removed from the support 2, leaving the latter in position and firmly secured to the rod. The contour of the support 2 is fitted to the natural shape of the nipple I so that there will be no stretch in the nipple when the openings are formed at the end. When these openings are formed in the manner described, they are cleancut at the surface, with no ragged edges, and the size,.shape and arrangement are of a strictly accurate .and predetermined character since the taperof the punch iii, the travel of the punch and the indexin movement all remain the same between the aperture-forming operations on each nipple .and as between successive nipples.

It .is apparent that the size and arrangement of openings can be changed by replacing the rod 3 having openings of the requisite size and arrangement and also modifying the relative positions of the recesses 13 which register with the pin is as the wheel 4 is rotated.

In. the event it is desired to .make only one opening in an un-perforated nipple, or .if the .size of an existing opening need be enlarged to conform, perhaps, to ,a change in the feeding formula, the rod 3 may be provided with openings 9 of diiferent sizesandrotating the wheel 4 until the proper size opening is presented to the punch 10. The latter can then ,be .de-pressed as far as it will go to leave a single .hole of proper size. The openings in the rod '3 may be suitably designated so as to inform the user :as to the opening size that will .be obtained ,-for a given movement of. the wheel 4.

I am aware that the invention may be em.- bodied in still other specific forms without -departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be-considered in all respects .as illustrative, and not restrictive; reference being had to the; appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

.-1. A device for perforating baby bottle nip-- pies, comprising a rotatable upright, a body surrounding said upright and secured thereto, :said body conforming to the shape 'of the nipple including the end thereof, an indexing mechanism operatiyely associated with said upright, an indexing wheel secured :to said upright for operating said mechanism, openings .in the end of the upright adjacent, the endof the :nipple, a punch secured to said device inregister with the-openings in said upright as the lastment-ioned is indexed, said punch serving to make holes in the ends of the nipples at successive positions as the upright is indexed and the punch is depressed at each indexed position.

2. A device for perforating baby bottle nip-- ples comprising a hollow cylindrical support for the nipple, including a base member, a cylindrical bearing containedwithin saidsupportsaid bearing comprising a metal plate having a centrally disposed opening, a rod rotatably extending through said opening, a wheel attached to and surrounding said rod for rotating the rod, said wheel resting on said base member, an indexing mechanism operated by said Wheel and cooperating with said cylindrical bearing member and the rod for imparting to the rod an angular motion when the wheel is turned, the upper end of said rod being adapted to receive the endof the nipple to be perforated, said end of the rod having a series of longitudinally extending openings of predetermined size depending on the size of the perforations to be made in the nipple, and a punch mechanism presented to each of said openings in succession as the rod is indexed, the punch having a tapered end and adapted to pierce the nipple at successive positions corresponding to the positions of said openings and depending on the angular movement of said rod.

3. A device for perforating baby bottle nipples comprising a hollow cylindrical support for the nipple, including a base member, a cylindrical bearing contained within said support, said bearing comprising a metal plate having a centrally disposed opening, a rod rotatably extending through said openings, a wheel attached to and surrounding said rod for rotating the rod, said wheel resting on said base member, an indexing mechanism operated by said wheel and cooperating with said cylindrical bearing member and the rod for imparting to the rod an angular motion when the wheel is turned, the upper end of said rod being adapted to receive the end of the nipple to be perforated, said end of the rod having a series of longitudinally extending openings of predetermined size depending on the size of the perforations to be made in the nipple, and a punch mechanism presented to each of said openings in succession as the rod is indexed, the punch having a tapered end and adapted to pierce the nipple at succesive positions corresponding to the positions of said openings and depending on the angular movement of said rod,

and a support having a configuration of the interior shape of the nipple surrounding said rod and resting on said wheel, said support being adapted to rotate when the rod is indexed through the successive angular positions.

4. A device for perforating baby bottle nipples comprising a hollow support for the nipple, a bearing contained within said support, a rotatable rod in said bearing, said rod being adapted to receive that portion of the nipple to be perforated, an indexing mechanism for rotating the rod through predetermined angles, said mechanism including a peripheral groove in the rod and inwardly extending depressions at the base of the groove, a spring-urged pin extending toward said groove and adapted successively to enter any one of said depressions, a hand-operated wheel for rotating the rod in said bearing and causing the pin to move into and out of the depressions successively whereby the rod is indexed, openings at the end of the rod adjacent the nipple, said openings corresponding in angular position with the depressions at the base of said groove, and a punch positioned directly above the position of each of said openings as the rod is indexed, said punch being adapted to be de-pressed at each indexed position of the rod and to form a fluid flow opening in the nipple.

5. A device for perforating baby bottle nipp-les comprising a hollow support for the nipple, a bearing contained within said support, a rotatable rod in said bearing, said rod being adapted to receive that portion of the nipple to be perforated, an indexing mechanism for rotating the rod through predetermined angles, said mechanism including a peripheral groove in the rod and inwardly extending repressions at the base of the groove, a spring-urged pin extending toward said groove and adapted successively to enter any one of said depressions, a hand-operated wheel for rotating the rod in said bearing and causing the pin to move into and out of the depressions successively whereby the rod is indexed, openings in the end of the rod adjacent the nipple, said openings corresponding in angular position with the depressions at the base of said groove, and a punch positioned directly above the position of each of said openings as the rod is indexed, said punch being adapted to be ole-pressed at each indexed position of the rod and to form a fluid flow opening in the nippie, said punch having a tapered end and when being tie-pressed to pierce the nipple moves downwardly to such extent that the tapered periphery of the punch comes into contact with the upper periphery of the openings in said rod.

POLLY NIXON SLICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

